Bhubaneswar: Parking at Bhubaneswar Railway Station has become a nightmare for commuters. Under the open sky, cars, bikes, and bicycles are left exposed—sun fades the paint, and rainwater seeps into helmets. The neglected environment attracts poisonous creatures, some even found inside vehicles. There are frequent complaints of helmets and vehicle parts being stolen. Despite these issues, parking fees have skyrocketed—increased by up to eight times, causing inconvenience to travelers.
If someone parks a two-wheeler for five days, they have to pay around ₹500, along with 18% GST. Many commuters have voiced strong dissatisfaction, questioning the steep hike in parking fees despite zero infrastructure improvements—no proper surface, no shelter, and no security. Several complaints have reached the railway authorities regarding this.
Thousands of vehicles are parked every day at the East Coast Railway’s two-wheeler and four-wheeler parking areas in front of Bhubaneswar Station. Previously, the daily charge was ₹12 for two-wheelers and ₹5 for bicycles. However, under the new tender issued this month, both car and bike parking charges have been significantly increased.
“Paying High Fees for Open-Sky Parking,” Say Commuters
Commuter Punyashlok Mishra, traveling to Balangir, expressed frustration:
“Vehicles are left under the blazing sun, rain, and dust—paint is damaged, trees are gone, and cleanliness is nonexistent. We are forced to park in a messy, unorganized area with open access on all sides. If parking fees are raised, there must be modern infrastructure provided in return.”
Other train passengers also said that such steep hikes mainly affect middle- and lower-income passengers. Many from poor backgrounds, who rely on trains for their livelihood and earn ₹5,000–₹7,000 per month, find it unfair to spend ₹2,000 just on parking.
Railway Officials Respond
Staff responsible for the parking area said that from the 13th of this month, the new rates have come into effect as per the Railways’ decision. Bhubaneswar railway authorities clarified:
“We are not the ones who decide the parking rates. These are fixed by the Ministry of Railways based on e-tendering through the Railway Department’s e-portal.”
However, if parking charges are raised without proper infrastructure, appropriate action will be taken, they assured.